SatixFy’s 3099 processor chip, as presented on SatixFy’s website.

Hardware technology developer SatixFy will give Canadian satellite operator Telesat early access to its second-generation Sx3099 modem chip for verification testing on Telesat’s Lightspeed Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation, according to the terms of a partnership contract announced March 10.

SatixFy said the partnership includes working on advanced modem designs for Telesat Lightspeed landing stations and user terminals. The partners will perform a six-month requirements verification program and conduct integration work and interoperability tests with processors onboard Telesat Lightspeed satellites. Telesat said that SatixFy’s Sx3099 modem chip is well suited for the requirements of its Lightspeed network because of its ability support high-capacity links and beam hopping with reduced power consumption and smaller cell size.

“SatixFy is at the forefront of high capacity, high-performance SATCOM chip development, and the Sx3099 modem chip has the features and capabilities to meet the challenging enterprise-grade service delivery requirements of the Telesat Lightspeed network,” Telesat LEO Vice President Erwin Hudson said in a statement. “SatixFy shares Telesat’s commitment to redefining satellite-delivered broadband connectivity and we have been impressed with SatixFy’s consistent and focused execution of their technology roadmap.”

Telesat selected Thales Alenia Space in February to be the prime contractor and manufacturer of the Lightspeed constellation in a deal worth $3 billion. Telesat is investing about $5 billion total into the project.